At this point, it’s clear that the changes Daniel Negreanu vowed to make following a rough poker year are working. The Poker Hall of Famer shaved off another $147,500 on Saturday from his $2 million losses in 2023 with a victory in PokerGO Tour PLO Series Event #3: $5,100 Pot-Limit Omaha.
He beat out 118 entrants for his second high roller win of the year, including Anuj Agarwal ($91,450) heads up to finish off the tournament. The action took place inside the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas where Negreanu has been tough to beat since early January.
Poker Legend Back in Form
At age 49, it might be past time to drop the “Kid Poker” moniker. But the way Negreanu’s been playing the past few months, he’s seemed to have found the fountain of youth.
When the final table began, Negreanu held the chip lead, and he never collapsed, although he did double up Dylan Weisman at one point. Lance Patel went out in sixth place ($29,500), and then Negreanu would get some revenge to bust Weisman in fifth place ($38,350) when pocket aces actually held up in pot-limit Omaha.
Agarwal would clip Curtis Muller in fourth place ($60,150), and the final three players were all close in chips, and that is when Negreanu took over. When Bruno Furth busted in third place ($64,900), the GGPoker ambassador held a 2-1 heads up chip lead.
$5,100 Pot-Limit Omaha Final Table Results
| PLACE | PLAYER | PRIZE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel Negreanu | $147,500 |
| 2 | Anuj Agarwal | $91,450 |
| 3 | Bruno Furth | $64,900 |
| 4 | Curtis Muller | $50,150 |
| 5 | Dylan Weisman | $38,350 |
| 6 | Lance Patel | $29,500 |
Agarwal hit some hands early in heads up play and quickly closed the gap before taking the lead, and then pulling out to a 2-1 advantage. But Negreanu battled back and quickly began to close the gap, before he doubled up with two pair against a missed combo draw.
That hand left Agarwal with crumbs, and he’d lose the rest shortly after. The runner up finish puts the California poker pro over the $1.8 million mark lifetime, according to The Hendon Mob.
For Negreanu, he’s now over $52.4 million in career cashes. The Canadian-American has two wins, two runner up finishes, and eight final table appearances in PokerGO Tour high rollers already this year. He said in late December that he planned to play fewer events to give himself more time for rest and relaxation. Thus far, the changes he’s made are working like a charm.
Negreanu is also planning a lighter than normal World Series of Poker (WSOP), with potentially 45 events on his schedule. As such, his $25k Fantasy Draft bid could be significantly lower than normal. But if the heater continues heading into the WSOP, maybe it won’t.
Daniel Negreanu Plans a Lighter WSOP Schedule
*Feature image courtesy of PokerGO.